Preview: Maple Leafs at Islanders

February 28, 2013|Reuters

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Preview: Maple Leafs at Islanders

Fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs had reason for optimism as they watched their team fall to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday because goaltender James Reimer was on the bench. Reimer, who hasn't played since straining his MCL on Feb. 11, will likely get the start on Thursday when Toronto visits the New York Islanders. Ben Scrivens has started the last eight games and posted a 4-4-0 record. Reimer is 6-3-0 on the season and 4-1-0 in away games, where the Maple Leafs have won eight of 12 (8-4-0).

New York defeated the Maple Leafs 7-4 in Toronto on Jan. 24, but the Islanders are just 2-8-0 at home and have four victories in 13 games this month. John Tavares and Matt Moulson have combined to score 41 percent of New York's goals this season (Tavares has 13 and Moulson has 10). Michael Grabner has seven goals and no other team member has more than four. Defensemen Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic are tied with a team-worst minus-12, while starting goaltender Evgeni Nabokov has one shutout and 13 goals allowed in his last four starts.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Ontario, MSG Plus

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (12-9-0): Nazem Kadri has four assists on a three-game scoring streak and leads the team with 18 points. James van Riemsdyk has a team-leading 11 goals but has been held off the scoresheet for three straight games, while Phil Kessel has 16 points on the season and five in his last six contests. Both Matt Frattin (knee) and Joffrey Lupul (arm) have resumed skating and will likely provide a significant boost to team scoring depth once they return to the lineup.

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (8-11-1): Defenseman Brian Strait, who is a team-leading plus-3, suffered a broken ankle last week and will miss six to eight weeks. Captain Mark Streit leads the team defensemen with 10 points, seven of those on the power play. Moulson has six points in his last four games. Defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky has one assist in his last six contests after recording four in four games to start his season. New York is 29th in the league with 3.40 goals allowed per game.

OVERTIME

1. Toronto is 3-0-1 in its last four visits to Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Maple Leafs won 4-3 in overtime in their most recent visit on Jan. 24, 2012.

2. Kessel has 11 goals and 19 points in 24 career games against the Islanders.